Attachment for type-writers.



No. 877,719. PATENTED JAN. 28, 1908.

H. A. KIRBY.

ATTAGHMENT FOR TYPE WRITERS.

APPLICATION II'LED MAY 31, 1907.

WITNESSES. IIVVENTOH 1 Jaw;

ATTORNEY I view one of its two UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY A. KIRBY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO N. O. GRAY, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

ATTACHMENT FOR TYPE-WRITERS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. as, 1908. v

Application filed May 31. 1907- Serial No. 876.610-

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY A. KIRBY, a citizen of the United States, resident of Cleveland, county of Cuyahoga, State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Attachment for Ty e-Writers, of which the following is a spec cation, the

principle of the invention being herein'ex-.

plained and the best mode in which I have contemplated ap lying that principle, so as ,to distinguish it fi'om other inventionsinvention relates to improvements in t ewrit' machines and has as its object 0 e provis 1on of means for preventing the interference of the type bars in such ma chines when their respective keys happen to be struck too nearly together, as also to revent the premature actuation of any ey, even where such interference does not result, but where crowding of the characters on the sheet would follow owing to the platen not having had time to make its appropriate movement.

To the accomplishment, of the above ends said invention consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The annexed drawing and the following description set forth in detail certain mechanism embodying the invention, such disclosed means constituting, however, but one of various mechanical forms in which the principle of the invention maybe used.

In said annexed drawing: Figure 1 is -a broken front elevation, with parts shown in cross-section, of my attachment as adapted -to one standard make of machine; Fig. 2 is,

a side elevation of the same in its inoperative position together with a broken section of the actuating lever of the typewriter; Figs. 3 and 4 are similar side elevations of the device showing the same in its operative position, with such actuating lever .occupying in each 1possible positions with res ect to such attac ment. 1 f

n Fig. 1, A A represent side portions of the frame of the ty'plewritin machine, assumed in the case at and to e the portions of ,the frame laterally adjacent to the key-.

board of the same. Ineach of such frame portions is respectively provided a verticall elongated slot or opening a through whic rojects a set screw 1) b means of which atter an arm or bracket is adjustably secured against the inside face of'theframe portion in eauestion. Havin its tive in such arms or rackets and hence transversel disposed below the keyboard, is a shaft upon which is mounted arallel therewith a U shaped frame b The ar, or transverse portion, 6, of the latter is disposed upwardly and lies just beneath the series of type-bar actuating levers, such levers, as here shown, being the ones that bear the ke s themselves. In certain machines posslbly intermediate levers might more conveniently be employed in connection with my attachment. only one 0 appears in the figures of reference. Each of these levers C bears on its lower face a downwardly projecting lug 0 provided with an inclined notch c as shown in'Figs. 2, 3 and 4. The bar b, 'oscillatorily mounted as it ineffect is in view of the construction of shaft B, above described, is designed in its normal position to lie just beneath the notches c in the lugs of the respective bars, Fig. 2, when the latter occupy their usual elevated positions. Such frame and oscillatory 'bar are maintained in this normal position b means of a s ring I) mounted at ends pivot one end 0 shaft B, as 0 early shown in F' 1 a stop-arm b at the other end of said sha t and adapted to engage with one of the arms or brackets B, serving to limit the'rearwardmovement of the shaft and frame.

The effect of the depression or downward movement of any one of the levers C will be the engagement of the slot 0 therein with bar I). As a result of the direction of movement of such lever together with the inclination of the slot '0, this engagement produces a slight displacement or oscillation about its piovotal axis of the bar I) without in any wise interfering with the movement of the Such displacement of the bar, however, removes the same out of alinement with the slots 0 of the remaining levers, Fig. 4, so as' obvious. For, as has been explained, the

actuation of any one of the levers c abso-' lutely prevents the actuation of any of the.

remaining levers, until such actuated lever again resumes 1ts normal position, or approximates such pos1 t1on, as explained beparticular lever being actuated, Fig. 3. P

low. "it thus becomes'impossible to strike one key beforethe type-bar actuated by the other has had time to get out of the way of the succeeding bar, or before the platen has had time to move to rovide sufiicient space for the impression o such succeeding bar.

By providing for the vertical ad'ustrnentof the bar, whereby, as will be 0 vious, the

locking effect of the same may be continued for a. longer or shorter time, the locked levers can he rendered free before the atuated lever on the type-rest.

is fully restored to its normal position, or

thescorresponding fie-bar back in its place other words the operation of the device can he accommodated to the operator of the machine so as not unduly to hamper or delay the manipulation of the keybars. The incorporation of this attachment in any machine, it will be clear, will hence result in absoluteprecision in the matter of spacing, at the same time preventing 4 the annoyance of the type-liars becoming entangled, without in the least hampering the operator or reducing the speed .of the operation of the machine.

Uther modes of applying the principle of my invention may oe employed instead of the one explained, change being-made as regards the mechanism herein disclosed, provided the meansstated oy-any one of the following elaims or the equivalent at snch stated means he employed.

1 therefore particularly ont and di'smnetly claim as my invention 2- typewriter, t e eemhinaticn of a series of depressible type bar actuating levers, each of said levers being provided with a slot on its under side; a bar mounted beneath said levers, said bar being movable transversely-of'such slots and vertically ad.- ustable; and means normally retaining said at in line with the ,slotsin said levers, the

engagement of the slot of any one lever with said her serving to move the latter'out of line with respect to the slots of the remaining levers.

2. a t writer, the combination of the typewriter ame; a series of parallel, de-

pressible, type-bar actuating levers mounted therein, each of said levers being provided on its lower edge with a lug formed with an inclined slot; bracket-s mounted in the portions of said frame laterally adjacent to saidseries of levers and vertically adjustable therein; a U-shaped frame having its ends pivoted in said brackets respectively; a spring normally retaining said frame to position the cross-bar thereof in line-with the slots in such lugs, in which position said levers are respectively free to be depressed, the engagement with said bar of the slot of any one lever, however, serving to oscillate said frame to move said bar out of line with respect to the slots of the remaining levers.

Signed by me this 11th day of May, 1907. G5

Mans lsnanrj, Jso. F. @nnsnm. 

